1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of automatic safety syringe constructions.
2. Description of Related Art
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,512,050; 5,527,294; 5,554,130; and 5,554,131, the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse safety syringe constructions.
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they do not represent the final word with regard to the design of devices of this type.
As all health care professionals are all too well aware, the greatest risk of infection to the health care giver involves the administration of an injection to the patient. The patient's bodily fluids can be transferred to the health care giver by careless handling of the sharp point of a hypodermic needle.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need for a new and improved type of safety syringe construction involving a movable sleeve which is normally extended to cover the point of the needle when not in use, and which can be retracted to give the patient an injection, and the provision of such a construction is a stated objective of the present invention.